Currently, there is no community level awareness of the importance of caring for pregnant women. Very young women are often embarrassed about their condition and resort to staying home instead of consulting health professionals for prenatal recommendations. A widespread campaign is needed at the community level to offer information on maternal health, such as the risk of traditional practices, the potential complications of childbirth, the importance of obtaining emergency obstetric care and various options for fistula treatment. This type of advocacy needs to be aimed at village chiefs, religious leaders and traditional birth attendants—some of whom believe prolonged labour is not problematic until after two or three days have passed—as well as pregnant women
and their families.
Pregnancy awarness programs are best – the are preventative instead of treatment.
Engender Health, an nonprofit organization that works for world wide reproductive services, 2003 (“Recognizing the needs of Niger”, http://www.engenderhealth.org/res/offc/mac/obs-fis/pdf/country/obs-fis-niger-eng.pdf)Currently, there is no community level awareness
of the importance of caring for pregnant women.
Very young women are often embarrassed about
their condition and resort to staying home instead
of consulting health professionals for prenatal
recommendations. A widespread campaign is needed
at the community level to offer information on
maternal health, such as the risk of traditional
practices, the potential complications of childbirth,
the importance of obtaining emergency obstetric
care and various options for fistula treatment.
This type of advocacy needs to be aimed at village
chiefs, religious leaders and traditional birth
attendants—some of whom believe prolonged
labour is not problematic until after two or three
days have passed—as well as pregnant women
and their families.